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MANVILLE: Councilman tells graduates that the American dream is within their grasp

‘Your future is in your hands’

By Mary Ellen Zangara, Special Writer
   The 92 graduates of Manville High School were urged Wednesday, June 20, to go forth boldly and seek the American dream.
   Family, friends and staff attended the school’s 55th annual graduation ceremony, which was held in extreme hot temperatures. The high school courtyard was filled with people fanning themselves, drinking cold water and sitting under umbrellas.
   The graduates entered in single file to the traditional “Pomp and Circumstance.”
   Senior class treasurer Natalie Lewicki led the flag salute, and the national anthem was played by the school band and sung by the school chorus. A welcome was given by class President Megan Loriot.
   Guest speaker Richard Onderko, a 1979 Manville High School graduate and now a borough councilman, gave the graduates a speech, titled “Your Keys to the American Dream.”
   He said he was leery he wasn’t worthy of the honor to speak, but he did “so I can share my life’s experiences with you.”
   ”My speech tonight is really not about me,” he said. “It is about you and your futures as you embark on your search for your American dream. Just what does the American dream mean to us today? And what will you be asked to do to attain it?
   ”What are the keys to your success?” he asked rhetorically. “Are times really any different now than when I sat in this same courtyard eager to begin a new phase of my life? Is the American dream still attainable? I truly believe it is, and here’s why.”
   All it takes is a good idea in combination with hard work and a well-thought-out plan to execute it, he said. He cited examples of Steve Jobs, whose company invented iPods, iPads and iPhones, and Steve Zuckerberg, who gave Facebook and social networking.
   ”Plan for the long term, save for a rainy day, with your ultimate long-term goal of your American dream being financial security,” he advised the class. “Thirty years from now, you will come back for future graduations feeling proud of the American dream you achieved.”
   Councilman Onderko told the graduates their future is “limitless” because “you live in freedom, in the United States of America. Your future is what you make it. So make the most of it. Dream big! And go for it.”
   Salutatorian Douglas Leubner thanked his family, friends, fellow students and the Board of Education.
   ”Everybody here has had an influence on helping my fellow classmates and I graduate from high school,” he said. “These past four years have helped us all grow bonds with one another — some stronger than others — but, nonetheless, we all have a common bond with the person sitting to our left and the person sitting to our right. We will always be Manville Mustangs at heart.”
   Jaime Alpaugh, class valedictorian, thanked everyone for attending “to celebrate and witness the end of a chapter in our lives, but also the beginning of a brand new one.”
   She singled out class advisor Leslie Lapotasky for her hard work over the years as well as board members, administrators, teachers and parents.
   ”We hope to continue to uphold all the lessons and values you have instilled within us,” she said.
   She shared memories from years in elementary school, middle school and high school. Then Jaime spoke about the future and its opportunities.
   ”Our high school career has drawn to a close,” she said, “but that doesn’t mean our education ends here. Learning is infinite. Whether our learning resumes within a college classroom, the military, work or simply from those around us, we will always remain a student of life. And no matter how far we may go, Manville will always have a special place in our hearts.”
   Jaime ended her address with a quote from Mark Twain: “Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than the ones that you did do.”
   She urged her classmates to “throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
   Graduates were presented by high school Principal James Brunn to Superintendent Johanna Ruberto who accepted their qualifications for graduation. Diplomas were presented to the Class of 2012 as their names were called by classmate Heidi Conover.
   The Class of 2012:
   Lawrence Jordan Abner, Eric Adamowicz , Alex John Agans, Jaime Lee Alpaugh, Liseth Arias, Jake Babich Kevin M Bartolome, Brianna Lynn Berger, Christopher Michael Berger, Matthew Tyler Bowden, Tanner L Bruckmann, Melanie Burkoski, Joseph Rafael Campos, Michael E Campos, Jacob Robert Caswell ,Heidi Michelle Conover, Ashley Lizette Crespo-Egas, Angel Manuel Cruz Jr., Ian Anthony De Falco, Ashley Nicole Defazio, Peter Jonathan Demchak, Todd Phillip DeSantis, Marco Antonio Diaz, James M Drury, Sara Jane Duffy;
   Also, Dawid Jan Dziwak, Christopher Jeremy Ferri, Steven Thomas Fetzer, Holly Marie Fischer, Audriana Nicole Formanowski, Breyner Andrey Garcia-Rojas, Ayanna Suna Gaskin, Megan Elizabeth Giannotto, Pablo R Gonzalez, Kristofer Wolf Grimm, Ericka Andrea Guevara, Eduardo Gutierrez, Peter Michael Hando Jr., Sophie Leona Harper, Jevon Anthony Hayes, Jhon Edison Henao, Melanie Marie Henderson, Michelle Hernandez, Rebecca Rae Imhoff, Shaylen Tisheed Jett;
   Also, Maria Fernanda Jimenez, Kassandra Alicia-Leigh Kaiser, Brooke Amber Lathi, Devon Lawrence, Douglas A Leubner Jr., Natalie Elizabeth Lewicki, Megan Nicole Loriot, Dennis Ma, Jason Anthony Marotta, William N Marshall, Loana Mendez, Paige Marie Miller, Luismael Antonio Monterroso, Nayeli Munive Tepoz, Rene Gustavo Murillo, Matthew Murphy, Daniel Vincent Napoliello, Sarah Lynn Nash, Shawn Michael Nitti, Electa Marie Olmsted;
   Also, Brittany Ann O’Rourke, Jennifer Elizabeth Page, Rodrigo Alejandro Palomo, Jessica Mary Pankowski, Geraldy Vanessa Parra, Max Alexander Perhach, Amanda Ryan Pizzoli, Blanca Estela Priego, Vanessa Priego Marsoleth Ramirez Rojas, Clint Davis Raver, Chandler Haley Riggs, Jonathan Alex Rizk, Marissa Michele Rodriguez, Rebecca Rosemary Rogers, Nathan A Schlosser, Matthew Alan Smigelski, Michael Steven Solis;
   Also, Amanda Paige Stangle, Garrett J Stewart, David Nicholas Tarby, Vincent M Tenisci, Brigida Trejo, Natalia Urszula Urbanowicz, Vanessa Anne Velez, Jordan Christopher Villagra, Jennifer Wangui Wanjohi, Kristen Ashley Wells, Andrew Yarusinsky, Tom Zagaja, Michael Steven Zelmore and Konrad M Zielinski.
   After the presentation of diplomas, the class song, “No Such Thing” by John Mayer, was played followed by the alma mater, written by Manville’s own Sonja Yalsh Stibitz.
   The Class of 2012 switched their blue-and-gold tassels — a traditional symbol of changed status — threw their mortarboards in the air in celebration and proudly exited to applause as graduates of Manville High School.